YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The government and ethnic Kachin rebels blamed each other Monday for an upsurge in fighting in northern Myanmar, with the government denying it carried out an air offensive on rebel-held territory.

President’s office director Maj. Zaw Htay said that helicopters and jets alleged by the Kachin to have carried out attacks in recent days were actually used mainly to supply government units whose access to supplies by road has been cut off by the Kachin Independence Army.